MARTINSVILLE, Va. (rbs news now) — A chilly Veterans Day afternoon didn’t stop community members from gathering in Uptown Martinsville for a food drive aimed at helping local families in need.

The event, organized by The Resistance MHC, took place Tuesday in front of the Martinsville Municipal Building on West Church Street.

Volunteers collected food and monetary donations for the Community Storehouse, a nonprofit that supports local residents facing food insecurity.

“This isn’t a protest — it’s about kindness,” organizer Callie Hietala told rbs news now. “We wanted to use our day off to do something productive to benefit people in our community.”

Hietala said the group, which is known for organizing demonstrations on local issues, wanted to show that civic action can also mean community service.

“Every protest we hold, we try to do something positive alongside it,” she said. “Access to food is a human right — it’s not optional.”

By the end of the event, the group had collected an estimated 40 pounds of sugar, 16 pounds of flour, 5 pounds of butter, 8 dozen eggs, 6 quarts of milk, 5 jars of pasta sauce with pasta, 2 boxes of canned goods, snacks, 5 pounds of potatoes, 2 pounds of carrots, and 5 pounds of apples, along with nearly $500 in monetary donations.

Hietala said all donations were delivered directly to the Community Storehouse on East Church Street, where they will be distributed to local families.

The group chose Veterans Day for the effort because, according to Hietala, many veterans and active-duty families rely on food assistance programs.

“There are 1.2 million veterans who live in households that depend on SNAP benefits,” she said. “It’s important that we take care of those who have served.”

Despite the cold and windy weather, Hietala said the turnout exceeded expectations.

“We had our first donation before we even finished setting up,” she said. “It’s proof that kindness really is a nonpartisan issue. People from all backgrounds came together to help.”

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